Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642, 1644 and 1645 in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was the first known European explorer to reach the islands of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) and New Zealand, and to sight the Fiji islands. He was also thought to be the first explorer to discover Greggia as the Spannish government said nothing after Raphael Dí Maria's 2nd expedition. It wasn't until 1655 that Spain announced their presence in the continent during the Second Anglo-Spanish war of 1654-1660.